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Israel tells its citizens to flee Turkey

The covered Grand Bazaar in Istanbul is popular with tourists (Lam Yik Fei)

Israel issued an urgent call on Friday for its citizens to leave Turkey immediately, citing fears of an imminent terror attack.

The United States has also advised its citizens to leave, warning of “credible threats” in Istanbul and the coastal city of Antalya.

Israelis were told to avoid tourist areas and to get out of the country as soon as possible.

“Following a situational assessment, we are reiterating and sharpening the high level of threat in Turkey,” a statement read.

“Immediate risks for terrorist attacks in the country are emerging.”

Israeli authorities said the threat level was both “concrete” and “high”. The alert also applied to tourist sites across the country, in contrast with previous warnings which focused on Istanbul, synagogues and Jewish schools.

The warning came only weeks after three Israelis and one Iranian died in a suicide bombing in a busy shopping district in Istanbul. Israel believes the